


all i wanna be is whites in waves

by maraanan



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Domesticity, Fluff, Illustrated, M/M, literally no plot it's just xander Trying To Be A Good Dad, no mpreg assume there are surrogate moms or....something
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 15:22:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6663997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maraanan/pseuds/maraanan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Xander and Soleil spend a few moments of father-daughter bonding time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	all i wanna be is whites in waves

**Author's Note:**

> As the tags say, no mpreg happened here. Imagine there are surrogate moms in fateslandia. So Soleil has Laslow's genes, and Siegbert has Xander's (this is important in the fic). Also, no babyrealm bs. Everyone had kids AFTER the war, like RESPONSIBLE people. jesus.

Xander sighs to himself as he rests on the bench in the castle garden. He had just gotten back from a diplomatic mission, leaving him stressed and tired. Laslow was always telling him to relax and cool down, and now seemed like a decent time to… “treat himself,” as his daughter says.

(He can't envision his past self, during the war, allowing a moment of respite like this. Things have changed, since then.)

The cool shade of the trees and the sweet smell of the flowers do calm him down at least a bit, he supposes. It certainly would’ve been nicer to spend the time with his family, but he was unable to find any of them when he arrived. Xander assumes that they’re all busy. Perhaps his husband will be back at their private quarters later.

“Father! You’re back!”

Xander turns to see Soleil coming closer, a bright smile on her face. He smiles at her back, and stands to embrace her. It fills him with warmth to hold his daughter in his arms, replacing the cold loneliness he felt whenever he had to be away from his family. “Oh, Soleil. How I’ve missed you,” he says. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been just fine, Father,” Soleil answers. “Well, aside from the fact that I still have no luck with cute girls…”

Xander laughs. “Silly girl,” he says, tapping her nose. Soleil giggles. “Come, why don’t you stay and sit with me out here for a while? We can talk and catch up, just the two of us.”

Soleil’s face lightens up. “Really?” she says. “We don’t usually do that. I’d totally love to!”

At Soleil’s words, guilt creeps up on him. Xander strokes Soleil’s hair, a frown on his face. “I know, dear,” he says, apologetically, “and I’m sorry. Truly. Oftentimes I am so caught up in my duties that I scarcely have any time left to spend with you and your brother. Even your father, sometimes.”

It already hurt, how he had to be the strong, distant pillar to his siblings. How his younger siblings had always ran to Camilla to seek comfort, never him. Xander didn’t want that to extend to his own children.

Soleil shakes her head. “No, Father! Please, don’t worry. I was never mad at you anything! I understand why you’re busy. We all do! Me, Sieg, and Dad. I mean, you’re the king. _Somebody’s_ gotta rule the kingdom. Like, it’s not as if I want Nohr to go down into ruin.”

But the guilt is still there. “Thank you, Soleil. I mean it,” he tells her. “I appreciate that you understand. However, I still do not wish to shirk my responsibilities as your father. I will make it up to you, I promise.” He takes Soleil’s hands into his, and holds them tightly.

Soleil smiles. “Awww, you’re so sweet, Father,” she says. “You’re the best.”

They both sit down on the bench. He was correct, earlier; it definitely is better to spend the time with his family. It felt right.

                                               

“So how was your trip, Father?” Soleil asks.

“Smoothly. Nothing went wrong, at least,” he says. “Well, nothing _horribly_ wrong. One of the people I met with turned out to be sick during the meeting, and he emptied his stomach on my shoes. It’s all right; we sorted it all out after. My shoes, as well,” he adds with a chuckle.

Soleil laughs. “I can almost see how horrified that man must have been with himself. Imagine that, throwing up all over the king’s shoes!”

“He certainly was,” Xander says with a smile. “How are your father and brother? I haven’t had the chance to see any of them yet.”

“Oh, Dad? Well… he tried teaching me how to dance again. Not that it went particularly well. I kept stepping on his toes,” she says sheepishly, scratching the back of her neck in embarrassment.

Xander smiles in understanding. “That’s all right, my dear. He knows you’re trying.”

“Ha! Boy, do I try. Oh, well, at least Sieggy can waltz,” says Soleil. “He’s been fine, too, by the way! Just doing his normal Siegbert thing everyday, spending his time studying and training and more studying. He’s always working so hard, y’know? I can only imagine what it must be like, being the heir and all…”

There is a topic Xander has been meaning to discuss with Soleil, regarding her birthright and place in their family. Right now, amidst the swaying branches of the trees, there is nobody but them in the garden, sharing this moment. Now seems like a good time to bring it up. He doesn’t know when he’ll ever get the chance again.

“Soleil,” he starts. He has not let go of Soleil’s hands from earlier. He gives them a little squeeze. “You are old enough now. I suppose you know the reason why it is Siegbert who will inherit the throne, even though you are the eldest.”

Soleil nods. “Of course, Father. It’s because I don’t have any royal blood in me. It’d just cause more problems with the other nobles, and lots of people would complain. Besides, you’ve broken enough tradition already, with you marrying Dad,” she says. “And I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but... I'm actually _relieved_ I'm not the heir. It's just—it seems like so much pressure; I don't think I could handle it.”

Xander sighs. “It makes me glad to know that you understand. You’re much more mature than people say you are, Soleil.” Xander takes her by the shoulders and looks her earnestly in the eye. “But I also want you to know this: it does not matter what others think. You are my beloved daughter. You have always been, and always will be.”

Xander startles when Soleil lunges forward, hugging him around his waist tightly. He relaxes his shoulders before embracing her in return.

“Oh, Father,” she says, head leaning on his chest, “you really are the best. You and Dad both. You’re both the best parents I could ever ask for. I’m so lucky to have you.”

He pats her hair, and smiles. “I’m so lucky to have _you_ , my princess,” he says. “Perhaps I had done something tremendous in a past life, to have such a gift as our family in the present.”

Soleil giggles then, a light, familiar sound that always warmed his heart, ever since the first time he heard it when she was still a little baby. For all the trouble he's caused for his decisions, he regrets nothing, and everything is worth it.

“Ah, there you are!”

They both look up to see Laslow. Xander beams at the sight of his husband. “Laslow.” He stands and goes over to him to bend down and give him a kiss on the cheek.

“And what’s this?” Laslow asks, a playful grin on his lips. “Having a heart-to-heart? That’s adorable!”

Soleil laughs. “Me and father were just talking about stuff, Dad!”

“That’s ‘father and I’, Soleil.” Coming up behind Laslow was Siegbert walking towards them, holding his books under his arm. “Welcome home, Father.”

Xander smiles sincerely at his son, and puts his hand on his shoulder. “Siegbert,” he says, “Come here, my son, I’ve missed you.” He pulls him into an embrace.

“Fa-father?” Siegbert asks, shocked. “You’re… hugging me…? Did something happen…?”

Xander laughs. While Soleil always welcomed his uncommon displays of affection openly, Siegbert always had that initial disbelief. He’ll make it up to him, too. “Nothing, Siegbert,” he says, “I just missed you.”

“Oh… I’m very grateful, Father. I—I missed you, as well,” he says in a small voice.

Laslow chuckles fondly. “Siegbert actually has something he’d like to show you, Xander,” he says. “He’s worked very hard on it.”

Xander lets go of Siegbert to look at him properly. “Oh? Is this true? What do you have to show me?”

Siegbert flushed with embarrassment. “A painting, Father,” he answers, shyly. “With Dad’s encouragement, I was able to finish one. It’s not much, and my skills haven’t developed completely yet. It would fill me to joy should you ever like to look at it.”

A painting? Xander knew Siegbert was interested in art, with the amount of art books he owns, but he didn’t know his son also _made_ art. Perhaps Siegbert showing him his painting was a sign that his son was starting to open up to him. He certainly hoped so.

“Wow, Siegbert!” says Soleil. “You finally have the guts to show Father your art! I’m so proud of you, baby brother!” She slaps Siegbert on the back. Hard. Siegbert winces.

“Sister, please,” Siegbert says. “Also, yes. Dad convinced me to do it. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without him.”

“That’s my boy,” Laslow reaches over to ruffle Siegbert’s hair. “Anyway, it’s getting dark now, and dinner will be ready anytime soon. Why don’t we go eat first, then go take a look at Sieggy’s work after?”

They all agreed, and the four of them walked back inside the castle, together. When that happy little feeling settles in him, that feeling of content and safety, Xander knows that he’s made the right choices.

**Author's Note:**

> To explain a certain paragraph regarding Xander's relationship with his siblings, I was always kind of bothered by his support chain with Camilla. It seemed unreal to me that Xander wasn't very upset with how his siblings apparently see him as cold and distant, with him even accepting it. Speaking from experience, it's actually quite painful to know. So I imagine that Xander actually is affected by this, and is just keeping it in for the sake of his duty.
> 
> Anyway, I had a lot of fun writing this! It's fun to write incredibly sappy and embarrassing stuff. I think I'll write a companion piece for this sometime, about Laslow and Siegbert and his artwork. (Have you guys seen Siegbert's support chain with Corrin? Siegbert likes drawing! It's canon! I thought it was so cute!)
> 
> Illustration was by me. Also, I have tumblr! @transientvision :-)


End file.
